Chapter 34

As soon as she finished speaking, it seemed as if even the cicadas stopped chirping.

Clusters of lotus leaves and graceful lotus blossoms filled the boat, and suddenly silence fell over it.

Ye Yan's fingers, which were resting on Qin Su's waist, trembled slightly.

His throat bobbed, and he said hoarsely, "Are you asking me something?"

“No.” Qin Su met his gaze and said firmly, “I am stating the facts.”

Ye Yan: "..."

Arrogant as Qin Su is, she can be so certain even when talking about other people's feelings.

It seems that nothing in her world can escape her control.

And Ye Yan truly couldn't bring himself to say "no" against his will.

He let out a long breath, lowered his head as if admitting defeat, and buried his head in Qin Su's neck, nuzzling against her.

Qin Su couldn't see his expression, but she could hear that his tone was somewhat embarrassed and unwilling.

"...Can't you give me some face?"

We must break through the barrier and see how clumsy and helpless he becomes.

"Hmm?" Qin Su frowned.

She immediately grabbed Ye Yan and said with displeasure, "What do you mean? It's such an honor for you to like me, do you think it's embarrassing?"

Ye Yan: "..."

The ambiguous atmosphere suddenly shifted at the interrogation scene.

He quickly clarified, "That's not what I meant."

Qin Su: "Then what do you mean?"

"..." Ye Yan hesitated for a moment, then said in an even softer voice, "I'm afraid you... will laugh at me."

Given Qin Su's personality, if she knew someone liked her, she would likely laugh without restraint, saying, "You?"

Qin Su was even more unhappy: "What are you thinking? You like me, and I laugh at you? Wouldn't I become the one being laughed at from the bottom?"

She was perfectly clear-headed: "I'm not going to do that kind of boomerang."

Ye Yan: "..."

After a moment of stunned silence, he seemed to awaken from a dream.

Sure enough, this is the real Qin Su.

Don't try to understand Qin Su's thoughts with the mindset of an ordinary person; that would be completely misguided.

Qin Su questioned, "So you're wrong?"

Ye Yan replied casually, "I was wrong."

Qin Su: "Anything else?"

Ye Yan asked blankly, "What else?"

Qin Su said unhappily, "I told you you like me, but you haven't said you like me yet."

Ye Yan: "..."

What kind of Qin-Su logic is this?

Qin Su raised the corners of her eyes and stared at him without saying a word.

Ye Yan: "..."

He whispered something.

Qin Su: "I didn't hear you clearly."

Ye Yan turned his face away and repeated himself, raising his voice slightly.

Qin Su: "Speak louder, haven't you eaten?"

She pinched Ye Yan's chin, turned his face back, and said seriously, "Look at me and talk to me."

"..." Ye Yan's ears burned, and he forced himself to remain calm as he repeated, "I like you."

After he finished speaking, he thought Qin Su would laugh.

Qin Su didn't laugh; she stared at him for a few seconds.

Ye Yan met her gaze, and his breath caught in his throat.

For a moment, he felt that Qin Su was a complete stranger.

There was no languor, no glamour, no usual nonchalance, only a scrutiny as if looking down on all living beings from the clouds, a scrutiny mixed with appreciation and affection.

However, this feeling was fleeting, like a flash of starlight; Ye Yan didn't even manage to catch its tail.

Qin Su looked satisfied.

She kissed his lips and chuckled, "That's more like it."

Ye Yan immediately forgot his earlier illusion and kissed her back.

After they had kissed enough, the two continued to hug and talk.

Ye Yan seemed to suddenly remember something and said sullenly, "Why did you call Ye Yuanqing 'Yuanqing' when you were eating?"

Qin Su had always only jokingly called him President Ye, or simply Ye Yan; she had never called him that intimately before.

Qin Su said, "I did that to disgust him by speaking in an elder's tone."

Ye Yan: "I don't find it disgusting."

This is almost an explicit statement.

Qin Su looked at him with a half-smile, which made Ye Yan's ears, which had just faded, turn pink again, before she leisurely said, "Then what do you want me to call you?"

Qin Su: "Ayan?"

"..." Ye Yan's breath caught in his throat.

Qin Su: "Husband?"

"..." Ye Yan's heart raced.

Qin Su: "Darling?"

"..." Ye Yan's ears turned red instantly.

He stammered, "I..."

Qin Su: "You can also call me baby."

Ye Yan: "..."

He choked suddenly and immediately began coughing violently, his face turning bright red.

Qin Su burst into laughter upon seeing this.

"Why are you so old-fashioned?" Qin Su said. "Xiao Xiao likes to call me that."

Ye Yan had heard her mention Xiao Xiao and knew she was a girl, but he still couldn't help feeling a little jealous.

Qin Su glanced at him and said, "Zhao Nuannuan calls me Su Su in private."

"Thump"

The vinegar jar was overturned, and a sour smell filled the surrounding area.

Ye Yan blurted out, "On what grounds?"

Qin Su laughed: "Then you can call out too, I didn't say you can't, did I?"

Ye Yan shut up, and his imposing aura vanished into thin air.

Qin Su ignored him.

After a while, Ye Yan called her softly, "Su Su."

A drowsy Qin Su: "..."

She almost laughed. How could someone be so cold and aloof in public but so cowardly in private?

Qin Su remained silent, which emboldened Ye Yan.

He called again, "Su Su?"

Qin Su gently bumped him with her head.

A smile appeared in Ye Yan's eyes.

His tone became more natural and affectionate: "Su Su."

Qin Su grew impatient: "Stop calling out like you're calling for your soul. If you keep doing that, I'll gag you with a blanket."

Ye Yan chuckled softly and pleaded, "Can we not use the blanket?"

Use something else?

Qin Su narrowed her eyes and threatened him, "Do you want me to tie you up and do what I wanted to do in the first place?"

Ye Yan: "..."

Although he was very tempted, he didn't dare let Qin Su act recklessly and obediently kept quiet.

Qin Su could finally go to sleep.

Ye Yan pulled her closer to him, remembering how he had once lain here alone when he was a teenager.

It felt like summer then, and the lotus flowers in the lake bloomed and faded year after year, their fragrance remaining the same year after year.

He gazed at the distant, cold moon, thinking of the ever-present sorrow between his mother's brows.

So-called love is probably like the moon's reflection in the lake—an illusory and beautiful illusion.

He wanted to never, like his parents, fall into the quagmire of messy emotions in his life.

Years later, however, he returned to the same place and lay there, with someone else in his arms.

She was so passionate and radiant, so novel and fascinating that it seemed as if all the dull and boring things in the world had nothing to do with her.

It's irresistibly attractive, and then you fall for it.

...

"Su Su".

Ye Yan said softly, "The moon is beautiful tonight."

Qin Su did not answer.

Ye Yan glanced down and saw that she was nestled in his arms, breathing steadily, and had fallen asleep.

He couldn't help but smile silently.

At this moment, those knots that had been entangled in the heart for many years finally began to decay and loosen.

His empty heart was filled with joy and contentment.

Qin Su's hair rested against his chin, their breaths mingled, and their heartbeats gradually synchronized.

The painted boat moved towards the depths of the lotus pond.

A boat full of sweet dreams presses down on the Milky Way.

The moon that descended to earth years ago is now in his arms.